Scott’s Blog

In two weeks I’ll be 45. No Fetterolf male, that I’m aware of, has ever lived beyond 72. That means that in all likelihood for the last seven years I’ve had less time left than I’ve spent on earth. I am right now, and for the next 15 years, at the prime of my professional career.  Entering this chapter of life has prompted me to ask a probing question. It’s important to me to enter this chapter with the desired end in mind. I want to be intentional. So, the question is simply this; what do I want to give to those who are following right behind me? I have no control over what has gone on ahead of me, and I have no control over what happens when I’m finished. The only thing I can control is what I try to leave behind. Because I’m a dad, and I’m on the last chapter of full time parenting I’ve thought about this a lot. There are lots of good answers. I want my sons to have a solid work ethic, I want them to be respectful and value people. I want them to see how to cherish God’s gift of a wife for them. I want them to pursue life as an adventure rather than just experience it as it goes by. There are lots of ways to answer that question but I think there is only one answer that really satisfies. Psalm 145 has given me the answer. David is writing and right after his introduction he says this in verse 4: Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts. That’s it. That simple statement burns through the fog of the good and advantageous to the vital and supremely necessary. David goes on to describe what that looks like in the next several verses. He says in verse 6 and following: Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy of your righteousness. Then later he says: They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom; they will celebrate examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule generation after generation.

One thing is sure. The generation that follows me is more different from me than I am of the one that preceded me. Their world is different from mine in so many ways. They interact differently than I do; they experience things differently than I do. They learn and serve and live differently. But there is one thing that I have that I can pass on to them that will have a fundamental defining impact on them. That is my story of God and how he’s loved, provided for and changed me.  They are well suited to figure out how to reach their generation. They don’t need me to do that. God is more than capable of guiding them in those things. What makes me sad is that so often we have tried to give them our way doing things or our experience of the church before sharing experience with Jesus. Sometimes we give the impression that our methods are more important to us than our relationships. They already know our way of doing things has not been completely effective so it’s no wonder they turn us off pretty quickly when we pretend our greatest gift to them is stuff we think they should do.

Psalm 44 finds David dealing with national tragedy. Israel was being plundered. David, however had great faith in God’s faithfulness. Why? He gives the answer in verse 2: Our ancestors have told us of all you did in days long ago.

In Psalm 78 Asaph writes: We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders… so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

I want to encourage you to join me in developing a laser focus for the last half of your life with me. Let’s take the advice of the psalms and tell those that follow of the mighty acts of God. Let’s share his glorious loving kindness and the joy of walking with him alone.

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